Appropriate Waiting Time Period Between Hair Transplants
This question was posed by a hair loss sufferer seeking hair loss help on our hair restoration forum and answered by Dr. Michael Beehner of Saratoga Springs, NY. Dr. Beehner is one of our recommended hair restoration physicians. His professional answer is below.
I read a post on this community’s hair loss forum that one should wait about a year (at least) between hair transplant procedures. Why is this? What are the dangers or risks of having another one done too soon?
There are basically four reasons that I advise my patients to have their next hair restoration session no sooner than 12 months (we do allow 10 months between a 1st and 2nd in some cases).
1) With today’s typically large hair transplant megasessions, it takes a little more time for the scalp’s blood supply to be restored to being normal and supportive for the next onslaught of grafts
2) It takes time for the donor area to once again regain its laxity and looseness, so that a donor strip can be taken out with the minimal risk for a wide scar.
3) As stated by Coalition member Dr. Charles, you want enough time to have passed so that all of the hair grafts have peeked their heads out and there is no danger of the surgeon making an incision site right on a graft that hasn’t yet emerged.
4) I want the hair to grow out sufficiently so that the hair loss patient gets some positive feedback that this whole process is worth it and worth going back for more. If you undergo a hair replacement procedure at 5 or 6 months, as we did 15 years ago, many patients will not be thrilled with the amount of hair on their head and have doubts. We know that there is tremendous variation in patients as to when the hair will start growing and looking full. Most men take around a year to fully “blossom” and 18 months for females.
Misc. reasons: often the financial realities of life make it easier on the family to spread the sessions out, so sometimes the patient almost feels relieved when you push the date back some, as many of them are overly eager to get it all over with, even if it stresses the family’s budget – which isn’t a good thing.
Mike Beehner, M.D.
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Bill Seemiller
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